Raonic 3-peats in final SAP Open

Updated 11:03 pm, Sunday, February 17, 2013

Milos Raonic reacts after defeating Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the SAP Open tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

Milos Raonic reacts after defeating Tommy Haas 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the SAP Open tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

Photo: George Nikitin, Associated Press

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Milos Raonic has the odd distinction of having recorded three of his first four career wins in one place: HP Pavilion.

Milos Raonic has the odd distinction of having recorded three of his first four career wins in one place: HP Pavilion.

Photo: George Nikitin, Associated Press

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Milos Raonic wins the final SAP Open title in San Jose.

Milos Raonic wins the final SAP Open title in San Jose.

Photo: George Nikitin, Associated Press

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Raonic 3-peats in final SAP Open

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There were moments Sunday when it felt like old times. HP Pavilion was nearly packed for the final of the SAP Open, full of enthusiastic and knowledgeable fans. They'd come to see Milos Raonic play Tommy Haas, but mostly they wanted one last look at big-time men's tennis in their backyard.

This was the day when 125 years of history gave way to an eviction notice. Closed. Moving to Brazil. Raonic's masterful 6-4, 6-3 victory seemed a fitting farewell, for it put him in the tournament's record books alongside some of the all-time greats.

Ballplayers from the 1960s spoke of the eternal dilemma in facing Sandy Koufax. He had the best fastball and the best curve they'd ever seen, so it was dangerous trying to guess either way. On Sunday, facing Raonic for the first time, Haas became the proverbial batter against a devastating repertoire. And he learned the bitter truth right away.

Raonic's very first serve was a 144-mph ace, and he ended that game with another ace at 148 mph. That alone makes Raonic a rarity in the sport. But then, in the fourth game, Raonic went with the curve: a big-bending "kick" first serve at merely 114 mph - a veritable change-of-pace ace. He also nailed a second-serve ace at 113 mph in the eighth game of the second set.

And on top of all that, his groundstrokes and return game were right on time.

"I knew coming in that he had a lot of firepower," said Haas. "I don't think I played a bad match, but I was up against a guy playing unbelievable tennis. His placement of serve, the speed and the power, was extremely good. And every time he got the ball on his racket, especially the returns, he just went for it and made it happen - deep to the lines, at incredible angles where I couldn't react quickly enough."

That's the difference between the 22-year-old Raonic and the kid who collected his first career win here two years ago; everything about his game is on the upswing. He says he's "three or more times more fit" than he was in 2011, with "a lot more confidence in myself. I think I'm a much better player in general - better competitor, better at fighting my nerves, with a lot more experience knowing how to deal with situations."

Bob and Mike Bryan certainly qualify in the latter category, but the Stanford-bred pair didn't have much success in this event, going winless over the years. The Bryans took a round-of-16 loss last week to Lleyton Hewitt and Marinko Matosevic, who wound up in Sunday's final before losing to Xavier Malisse and Frank Moser, 6-0, 6-7, 10-4 (the decisive Match Tiebreak).

As always in any tournament, though, it comes back to the singles. Raonic has the odd distinction of having recorded three of his first four career wins in one place, and it's no coincidence that HP Pavilion suits his game. "He loves this (indoor) court; no wind, sun or whatever to worry about," Haas said. "I think he could play anyone in the world on this surface, and he'd have a shot at beating them."

Although Raonic was born in Montenegro, of Serbian descent, he has lived in Canada since his family moved there when he was 3 years old. He loves making hockey references inside the Sharks' home building - while duly noting that he's a Maple Leafs fan - and after Sunday's match, he threw his headband to a man, decked out in Canadian colors, who had attended all his matches.

"I don't know what I'll do at this time next year, without this event," Raonic said. "It's like a go-to move for me on my schedule, and I'm really sad to see it go. I don't know... maybe I could roll up the court, put it in my bag and hope it doesn't get lost on the flight."

He's entitled to take anything he'd like, especially the memories. As the curtain fell Sunday, it was all anyone had left.

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